Africa troops kill five children in school shooting

A Somali official says African Union troops mistakenly opened fire on a religious school while pursuing militants, killing five children and two adults.

A soldier serving with the Kenyan Contingent of the African Union Mission in SomaliaPhoto: AFP/Getty Images

9:18AM GMT 17 Jan 2013

Dahir Amin Jesow, a member of the Somali parliament who visited Leggo village, the scene of the attack, said Wednesday all five children were less than 10 years old.

Jesow says the attack in the village 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, took place at around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Students of Islamic schools often attend class in the early morning.

Jesow say AU soldiers were earlier attacked by militants. The African Union Mission for Somalia says it is investigating the incident. AU troops are in Somalia to bolster the country's weak government, which is facing an insurgency from al-Qaida-linked militants.

The AU soldiers were earlier attacked by militants, Jesow said. The African Union Mission for Somalia, known as AMISOM, said it is investigating the incident.

"AMISOM is mindful of its responsibility to minimize civilian casualties during its operations and we have clear rules of engagement to that effect. We are therefore currently establishing the facts and the circumstances around this tragic incident so as to ascertain whether, and to what extent, these rules may have been breached," said Acting Force Commander Maj. General Salvatore Harushimana in a statement Wednesday evening